Organic compostable bag struggles to meet NZ standard

The move away from single use plastic bags is gaining momentum - but makers of non-plastic compostable bags say they're struggling to get certified.

ComPlast Grip Hole bag

ComPlast Pet Waste bag

ComPlast Laundry bag

ComPlast Poly Bag

ComPlast Poly Bag

ComPlast T-Shirt bag

ComPlast Printed Samples

Gallery of the bags

Countdown's first 10 supermarkets will going plastic bag free on Monday and the remaining 172 stores will follow by the end of the year, while a Nelson supermarket is supplying only paper bags in its fruit, vegetable and bulk buy aisles.

The Warehouse Group is the latest to announce it is scrapping plastic bags, and intends replacing them with compostable bags in its 254 stores by the end of the year.

But makers of non-plastic compostable bags say they are still struggling to get the right certifications because current standards favour bags produced using petrochemicals.